Lifting-jack means.



J. W. TAPFT.

LIFTING JACK MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APE.11,1908.

908,854, Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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JAMES W. TAFFT, OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

LIFTIN'G-JACK MEANS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. TAFFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ackson, in the county of Hinds and State of Mississippi, have invented new and useful 5 Improvements in Lifting-Jack Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad lifting jacks of that class having means for engaging a journal box and adjacent Wheel to facilitate removing the bearing brasses and wedges from journal bearings and replacement of the latter.

The primary object of the im roved jack structure is to provide separabib means in connection with an ordinary jack having a superior structural organization to facilitate application thereof to the under side of a journalbox and the adjacent shouldered portion of a car wheel, to hold the latter down on the track rail when the journal box A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class specified that may be readily applied in operative position and having a simplified construction and arrangement of parts and also of a strong and durable nature and capable of being quickly and conveniently adjusted for engaging the body or lifting head of a jack.

A still further object of the invention is to provide simple means for use with an ordinary jack and readily foldable into compact form when not in use for convenience in transportation and storage.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter specified in preferred form.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car wheel and journal box and of a jack showing the improved device applied in operative position and engaging the jack, journal box and a portion of the car wheel, the latter being broken away and partially shown in section. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the improved device.

Similar characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts inthe views.

The numeral 1 designates a car wheel having the usual outer shoulder 2 and disposed on an axle 3 provided with a journal box 4 of the usual form. In conjunction with the improved device an ordinary jack 5 is used Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 426,517.

and is provided with a lifting head 6 carried on the upper extremity of a screw-stem or shank 7.

The improved device comprises essentially two members 8 and 9 which maybe termed for convenience a jack and journal box engaging member and a wheel holding member. The members 8 and 9 are intermediately jointed or coupled by a hinge connection 10, the member 9 adjacent to the hinge connection having a limiting shoulder 11 to bear against the under side of the member 8 to prevent the said member 9 slipping out of place or folding under the member 8 too great a distance. Near its free extremity the member 8 has an upper angular projection 12 extending transversely thereacross to engage the under side of the journal box 4 and at its lower portion close to the free end a transversely extending jack-engaging projection 13 is positioned which is adapted to bear on the center of the lifting head 6.

The projections 12 and 13 are so positioned on the opposite sides of the member 8 that the projection 12 may be disposed against the under side of the journal box 4 to the best advantage for lifting the latter and the projection 13 located a little outward beyond the rojection 12 will permit the jack 5 to be set ar enough outward from the wheel 1 and the track rail to render the operation of the lifting head convenient and readily accessible. Furthermore, these projections 12 and 13 are so arranged as to effect the necessary leverage in forcing the journal box 4 upwardly and to impose on the member 9 a weight resistance sufficient to hold the wheel 1 down in engagement with the track rail,

the member 9 being disposed at an obtuse angle to the member 8 when in operative position and having a reduced free extremity 14 to insure a non-slipping engagement with the inner portion of the shoulder 2 of the wheel 1.

i In applying the improved device it is opened and the reduced extremity 14 of the member 9 is placed in contact with the shoulder 2, as shown by Fig. 1, and the member 8 projected under the journal box 4 with the projection 12 engaging the lower part of j the box. The lifting head 6 of the jack 5 is then arranged under the projection 13 and the said head operated to exert an upward pressure on the member 8 which is transmitted to the journal box and the latter forced upwardly to clear the brasses and wedges which may be removed and replaced as may be desired. The weight pressure, together with the lifting tension imposed on the member 8, is transmitted to the member 9 in a downward direction and is concentrated upon the shoulder 2 of the wheel 1 to hold the latter in contact with the track rail. In removing the improved device the lifting head 6 of the jack 5 is lowered until the j ournal box lowers to its proper position when the device may be detached and folded for convenience in transportation or storage in a tool box.

It is proposed to make the improved de vice of suitable strong metal and also to use any form of jack that may be desired in con nection therewith. One of the main advantages of the improved device is that it does not have to be secured to the jack, and the latter is free for general service without hindrance as would be the case if the improved device were permanently attached thereto or had to be connected therewith when arranged in operative position. The improved device is economical in the cost of manufacture and will be found very efficient as a railroad tool.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A device of the class specified comprising two members terminally connected by hinge means, the one member having pro tween and have opposite portions thereof 40 contact with the lifting head of a jack and the underside of a journal box, and the remaining member adapted to terminally bear on a portion of a car wheel and disposable at an angle to the first named member.

3. A device of the class specified comprising two members terminally hinged, the one member having a lower projection at its free extremity and an upper projection at an intermediate point to respectively contact with the lifting head of a jack and the underside of a journal box, and the other member disposable at an oblique angle to the first named member and adapted to have its free terminal directly contact with a portion of a 5 car wheel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES W. TAFFT.

Witnesses M. S. CRAFT, M. H. CLIFTON. 

